Victims of 9/11 Student Loan Forgiveness

Spouses of 9/11 victims and first responders may be able to get their federal student loans forgiven.

The benefit, created in 2006 yet largely unpublicized, was passed without fanfare or press coverage. As time passes the benefit is of less significance, but for those it may help the power is undeniable.

Basically, it’s for the spouses of victims and first responders who either passed or became totally and permanently disabled. It’s the only forgiveness out there that is for the spouse of the affected person. If you were married at the time of the attack and had a loan balance at that time, you could be eligible to have your loans forgiven.

Who Qualifies for Victims of 9/11 Student Loan Forgiveness?

You may qualify for discharge of your federal student loans if:

You are the spouse or parent of eligible public servants and other eligible victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Your spouse or child was an eligible public servant or eligible victim who died or became permanently and totally disabled due to injuries suffered in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Eligible public servants are individuals who served as a police officer, firefighter, other safety or rescue personnel, or as a member of the Armed Forces who died or became permanently and totally disabled due to injuries suffered in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

A eligible victim is an individual who died or became permanently and totally disabled due to injuries suffered in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, except for an individual who has been identified as a participant or conspirator in the terrorist-related crashes on September 11, 2001.

Which Loans Are Included?

Not all student loans qualify for Victims of 9/11 Student Loan Forgiveness. Only the following loans can be included:

Stafford loans

Parent PLUS loans

Graduate PLUS loans

Perkins loans

Consolidation loans made to pay off loan amounts that were owed on September 11, 2001

Private student loans are not covered, nor are loans made under the FFEL or HEAL programs.

How Much Debt Is Forgiven?

If you qualify, the full balance of the qualifying federal student loans you owed as of September 11, 2001 is wiped out. Any loans you took out after that date aren’t included in the forgiveness.

One More Failure of the System

There’s a good chance that no one told you about Victims of 9/11 Student Loan Forgiveness even if you clearly qualify.

Now you know.

Its a shame that it was never publicized. That’s why I’d like you to spread the word.

Because if this information can help even one person then it’s worth the time for you to share it.

Comments

This definitely should be more publicized. Having done something like this for the families of those who served in 9/11 is a good thing! Hopefully lots of them will use this program to forgive their student loans.

About Josh

During college I got a job with the financial aid office as part of a work study program. There, I saw the dark side of the college financial aid system.

I decided that it was unacceptable for college students to be put into student loan debt slavery and kept in the dark about their options for freedom.